How to Find and Remove a Dead Raccoon

You and your family have had a lovely, 2-week vacation, and now you are pulling into your driveway. All of you are smiling and laughing about all the fun you had when, as you open your front door, the smell hits you in your face. You stop laughing. Something has died in your home. Now what?



Well, after you stop gagging, you have to find the animal. The bigger the animal, the bigger the smell is, so if the stench is really foul, chances are it could be a raccoon. If it is a raccoon, that usually means searching the attic. You may also want to smell along the walls, in case a baby has fallen through and perished. That requires more work, as you will have to cut the wall open to get the dead animal out.

Once you are in the attic, the smell might not be so bad, due to the ventilation an attic requires. Look for droppings, torn-up insulation or something that looks like a nest. Check the nest first, to make sure that there aren’t any live babies living in it. If there are, you will need to trap them first.

If you don’t see the dead raccoon right away, and chances are you won’t, don’t be surprised. Animals that are dying often find a small space or tunnel under something to make it their final resting place. Using your noise, try to narrow it down to a specific area. Once you do, make sure you are wearing gloves and protective mask. Raccoons carry a variety of diseases in their feces, including a particular type of roundworm. That can make you very sick if you inhale it.

Once you are protected, start digging. Sometimes raccoons tunnel under the insulation and die on the ceiling drywall, other times they are under a piece of the roof that isn’t accessible. If you can find and retrieve the animal, bag it and all the related material that goes with it. You will need to decontaminate the attic and replace parts of the insulation, to get rid of any organic material left. Finally, open the windows and let the smell out. Once the dead raccoon is gone, the smell should dissipate quickly.

The best way to do all this is to call a professional. He or she knows what they’re doing and know how to protect themselves from the risk of removing dead raccoons.

If you need help, we service the entire USA! Click here for a wildlife removal specialist in your town!

Go back to the main Raccoon Removal page for more information about How to Find and Remove a Dead Raccoon.